Waymo partners with Via to integrate autonomous vehicles in public transit

Waymo and Via announced a strategic partnership to integrate autonomous vehicles into public transit systems. The collaboration allows government agencies using Via's software to incorporate Waymo's autonomous ride-hailing service into their transit networks.

Chandler, Arizona will serve as the first implementation site this fall, integrating Waymo vehicles into the city's Chandler Flex microtransit service. The service will use Via's algorithms to match multiple passengers into single vehicles and adapt routes based on real-time demand.

"Public transit riders and the government agencies who serve them are too often the last to have access to cutting-edge technology," said Daniel Ramot, Via's co-founder and CEO.

Waymo currently operates in five cities and provides hundreds of thousands of paid trips weekly. The company reports having driven over 100 million autonomous miles on public roads. Via's technology powers transit systems in hundreds of cities across more than 30 countries.

Chandler's existing Flex service has provided nearly 120,000 rides to residents. Via's software will incorporate Waymo vehicles into the existing fleet while maintaining federal funding and compliance requirements.

The partnership framework allows other cities to adopt similar autonomous vehicle integration into their transit networks. Via's routing technology will determine appropriate vehicle assignments for each trip request within the integrated system.

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